Beauty and Wellness go hand in hand #2

Our diet contributes so much to our quality of life. When I was young, I took my thin, high octane body for granted and fed it all kinds of economy fuel. I craved sweets. I was like an addict with the constant hovering anticipation of when I could get my next fix of Funny bones or Hershey's Kisses.
I was born in an Italian family where cooking and eating were a major part of our culture and still is. The kitchen was the hub of the home.
Now I am much older and my body has slowed down along with my metabolism. So over the past several years I have been struggling to stay slim and fit. I still love my pasta and chocolate (not together) but I have learned to eat both in moderation.  (Read until the end of the blog, I have a pasta secret to share)
And I have learned how to incorporate other nutritious foods as well and how supplementation is so important to any diet. In this stress induced society, we just can't get enough nutrients from food alone.  In his book  Health is Wealth, Dr. Louis Ignarro, a Nobel Laureate in Medicine, states that "Our unhealthy way of life is increasing our need for critical nutrients at precisely the time when our world is making it harder than it ever has been to obtain those nutrients."
The mineral nutrient content of agricultural soils in the U.S. is becoming increasingly depleted. This means that even when you eat healthy foods, you are probably not getting enough of the minerals and nutrients you need.
We will get into how to supplement your diet in a later blog, but for now I would like to talk about what you can do today to eat fewer "bad fats" and more "good fats" and how to begin your journey into a healthier lifestyle and hopefully a longer life.
First, try to limit your intake of trans-fat food sources, including margarine, vegetable shortenings, foods with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (such as cookies, crackers and pastries), deep-fried foods (such as doughnuts, french fries, fast foods).
Also try to limit your carbohydrates, like white bread, white rice, potatoes, sugar, white pasta, candy and soda. Eating lots of carbohydrates that are digested and absorbed quickly increases your levels of blood sugar and insulin, raises triglycerides and lowers HDL cholesterol.  Over time these changes can lead to heart dysfunction and diabetes.
Choose whole grains instead, like 100 % whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole-grain crackers. (For you pasta addicts like me, who just can't eat the whole wheat pasta, try Dreamfields Pasta.  It's made from durum wheat semolina which is why it tastes so great and with only 5 grams of digestible carbs it helps limit the rise in blood sugar levels that normally occur after eating regular pasta. Their pasta has a 65% lower glycemic index than regular pasta).
It's a bit more expensive but worth every cent. You can get it at Market Basket, 2 boxes for $4.
Choose healthier sources of protein like beans and nuts, along with fish, poultry and eggs. And try to buy organic meats and dairy.  I will cover the reasons why you should eat organic in another blog and share my personal expericence with why.  Keep up with the blog, I have tons of information to share.
Please share this blog with friends and family and encourage them learn more about Wellness.